Lil’ Drummer Boy Handicap Grade III
Lil’ Drummer Boy Handicap
Grade III
A mile and one sixteenth
Firm Turf
$125,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
1 103179 RED TABASCO dumptruck A Holohan 4/1
2 56724 CANONICAL VIEW kurvin L Hichens 12/1
3 94707 CASH IN THE BANK(IRE) hook J Bradley 7/2
4 103534 BRUCIE BONUS beefcake4 B Beaton 16/1
5 20364 RIVERBOAT QUEEN torrential T Cooper 3/1
6 13525 STAR WEST naracing2 I Benjamin 6/1
7 84062 GRETNA(IRE) breed2sell P Riggs 9/2
8 75120 TAKETHECAR ontarget2 A Craig 23/1
9 40269 CRYPTIC HABITS dtown G Denovo 7/1
Todays feature on the heath is the Grade III Lil’ Drummer Boy, over the extended mile on the turf course. Only nine runners and of those only two or three with a realistic chance.
RED TABASCO (BUCKSPLASHER x TABASCO CAT x TOM ROLFE)
Been running well in stakes all year and stepped up again latest when closing for second place in a Grade III over 8f. The extra half a furlong will be in her favour and she has a real good chance of getting that graded win.
CANONICAL VIEW (DISTANT VIEW x SHIRLEY HEIGHTS(GB) x HERBAGER)
Very lightly raced for a five year old and has some nice alloweance runs this year. However her stakes races have been disapointing and she won’t be troubling the judge today.
CASH IN THE BANK(IRE) (BARATHEA(IRE) x MR. PROSPECTOR x FOOLISH PLEASURE)
Has won a stakes over this trip this year but her best run was over 9.5f. Was beaten a mile in a grade II latest at todays trip and that the worry here. Looks up to stakes class but i’m not sure about her at graded level. Not todays for me.
BRUCIE BONUS (RAINBOW QUEST x SEEKING THE GOLD x KINGMAMBO)
Bred to be a 10-12f horse and has looke dlike it recently. Was closing in a grade I latest over a mile and whilst that was a nice run shwe wants further to be seen at her best. May reach the top five but look out for her over 12f later in the year.
RIVERBOAT QUEEN (A.P. INDY x NUREYEV x PLEASANT COLONY)
The favourite beased on her latest run but she was getting further away at the finsh not closer and her best runs have been at 7f.(with the exception of a grade III win at todays trip but the best run since by those she beat that day has been an allowance win). Not today.
STAR WEST (RAHY x A.P. INDY x UNBRIDLED)
Yet to win a stakes this year and another who looks as though she wants a drop in trip to say 7f. Can’t see a win but she may reach the top five. Back at 7f she could be a handful.
GRETNA(IRE) (GENEROUS(IRE) x MACHIAVELLIAN x NASHWAN)
Bred to be a miler but she hasn’t impressed in her recent graded runs. Has managed a third place but looks to be a stakes horse and out of her depth in graded company.
TAKETHECAR (STROLL x RAINBOW QUEST x CAERLEON)
Has only managed to break the 90sp barrier once this year and that was her latest grade III win over 8f , but the sp was only a 95. She will have to step up by at least 7-8 points to win this and i just casn’t see it. Looks an allowance runner who lucked out with an easy graded race pinched for a win. Not today.
CRYPTIC HABITS (CRYPTOCLEARANCE x DANZIG x HABITONY (IRE))
Another whose balance of form this year is of an alloewance horse and who also looks to be a sprinter. Won’t make the top five and should not be here.
RED TABASCO looks the obvious one to me with serious doubts about the rest. She could be followed home by BRUCIE BONUS and STAR WEST